[07] Commentary on recent statements by AKP member that the government is
in the process of establishing a "new state" in Turkey headed by Erdogan

Under the title "Neither payments exist nor applications", Turkish Cypriot
daily Havadis newspaper (08.08.17) reports that the "immovable property
commission", which "is mentioned as the biggest right gained by the TRNC
and Turkey at international level during the past years, is experiencing
difficult days, because the resources necessary to the commission are
not secured". According to the paper, problems are caused due to the
serious decrease in the financial resources granted by Turkey since 2015
and the inability of the "government" of the breakaway regime to find
the necessary resources for implementing the "commission's" decisions.

The decline in the number of Greek Cypriot applications started in 2014
during which 375 applications were filed, while this number had been
1,337 in 2013. Furthermore, the number of applications deceased to 182
in 2015, 50 in 2016 and 19 in the first eight months of 2017.

Since 2006 the "Commission" paid 238 million 574 thousand 231
sterling pounds as compensation to Greek Cypriots for their occupied
properties. Within the framework of the decisions taken by the
"Commission" 22 million sterling pounds were paid in 2015, which is
approximately equal to the total amount paid in 2016 and 2017 during
which only 23 million pounds were spent, because of the reduction of
the resources.

Since 2006, 6,330 applications have been filed and only 1,029 of them
were concluded.

(I/Ts.)

[02] Arikli: The Turkish Plan B is implemented, there is no need to be
officially announced

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (08.08.17) reports that
Erhan Arikli, chairman of the illegal Turkish settlers' Revival Party
(YDP), has argued that it was not necessary for Turkish side's Plan B to
be announced officially or named, as "it is anyway being implemented". In
a written statement issued yesterday, Arikli alleged that the "opening"
towards the Maronite Cypriots was a part of this plan and claimed that
the opening of the occupied fenced off city of Varosha under Turkish
administration would come onto the agenda and lead to improvement of
the breakaway regime's economy.

Referring to the "Immovable Property Commission", Arikli argued that the
"law" providing for special tax on the gains from the increase of the
value of properties should immediately be approved. He said that the
relevant "draft-law" had been prepared in Turkey, took its final shape
in the occupied area of Cyprus and was sent to the "assembly" three years
ago, but it was never discussed since then. Expressing the view that both
the "government" and the "opposition" wanted the entire amount of the
compensations to be paid by Turkey, Arikli wondered whether Turkey was a
"cash cow" and added that when [occupied Greek Cypriot] properties were
"turned into Turkish", the holders would become 4-5 times richer and
therefore they should pay a part of the compensations. "The immovable
property commission is a rare opportunity for us", he claimed.

Also alleging that Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci was attacked both by
President Anastasiades and by some "submissive circles" in the Turkish
Cypriot side for his stance on the Cyprus problem, Arikli claimed: "What
else should Akinci have done? What concessions he should have given? From
that point on is a full submission. Neither Akinci nor anyone else can
put the full submission onto the agenda. Talat could also not put it in
the past".

(I/Ts.)

[03] Elcil: The effort for closing "Ataturk teachers' academy" is
political

Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper (08.08.17) reports that Sener Elcil,
general secretary of the Turkish Cypriot teachers' trade union (KTOS),
has said that the effort for closing the "Ataturk teachers' academy"
in the occupied area of Cyprus was political and not academic. In a
written statement issued yesterday, Elcil notes that this was clearly
shown by the fact that the "protocol" for closing the "academy" was
supported by political parties, associations, unions, academicians and
some media which secured financial and moral support by the "embassy"
of Turkey in the occupied area of Cyprus.

Moreover, Elcil accused Ozdemir Berova, self-styled minister of education
of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus,
of playing the most important role in the emergence of this problem and
argued that those who support the closure of organizations that belong
to the Turkish Cypriot community would pass in history as "collaborators
and traitors".

(I/Ts.)

[04] "TRNC identity cards" to be "obtained" from the "TRNC London office"

According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (08.08.17), the
"interior ministry" announced that since yesterday "TRNC citizens",
who live in London, will be able to apply for their "TRNC identity card"
at the "TRNC representation office" in London.

In a press release, Kutlu Evren, "interior minister" said that the
projects for easing the lives of their "TRNC citizens" who live abroad
as if they live in their own "country" started to become a reality.

Under the title "We swallowed up the mountains and the scenery has
changed", Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (08.08.17), on
its front page, reports that until today 341 "permissions" have been
"granted" for stone quarries since 1975. Only 36 stone quarries are
active from the existing 56.

According to data, during the years 1975-1984 112 stone quarries were
"granted permission", during the years 1985-1994, this number raised
to 149. During the years 1995-2004, there was a serious regression to
the "permissions" and only 63 stone quarries had "permission". While
during the period 2005-2014, only 17 stone quarries were "granted
permissions". Since 2015, no "permission" was "granted".

From the existing 56 stone quarries, the 21 are for quarrying float
stones, the 19 are for quarrying crushed sand and gravel, the 12 for
building stones, 3 for gypsum stone and one for river sand grave.

The paper also reports that environmental organizations reacted to the
environmental damage caused by the stone quarries, especially in the
occupied area of Kythrea.

Metin Ulug, chairman of the "stone quarries association", argued that
the number of the stone quarries, which was surplus in the past, has
been reduced to a normal level now. He explained that the number of stone
quarries for quarry?ng crushed sand and gravel are 14 and they do not have
any clear information regarding the other stone quarries. Ulug further
said that all the stone quarries continue their works in an intense way.

Meanwhile, Dogan Sahir, the general secretary of the Green Action Group,
stressed that the undermining of the mountains has resulted due to the
fact that there is no planning and the needs are not determined. He
further said that the necessary measures should be taken in order to
protect the "mountains".

According to Turkish daily Yeni Safak newspaper (online, 08.08.17),
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Germany
assisted terrorists by not responding to thousands of files sent to
Berlin on handing over suspects wanted by Turkish authorities. "Germany
is abetting terrorists," Erdogan told a conference in the Black Sea
province of Rize.

"We gave (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel 4,500 dossiers, but have
not received an answer on a single one of them," he told members of his
ruling AK Party.

"When there is a terrorist, they can tell us to give that person back. You
won't send the ones you have to us, but can ask us for yours. So you
have a judiciary, but we don't in Turkey?" he said.

Turkey accuses Germany of sheltering terrorists as well as military
officers and other people linked to the July 15 coup. Berlin denies
the accusations.

[07] Commentary on recent statements by AKP member that the government is
in the process of establishing a "new state" in Turkey headed by Erdogan

"Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party
(MHP), which is a political ally of the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP), is outraged over recent remarks by an AKP Deputy. The Deputy
had suggested that the government is in the process of establishing a
'new state' in Turkey headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

'A discredited person has mentioned a new state out of nowhere. If you
want the truth, it's a waste of effort and time to take this unknown and
shadowy person's nonsensical talk seriously', Bahceli said over Twitter
on Aug. 5.

The remark - which also angered main opposition Republican People's Party
(CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu - came from Ayhan Ogan, who has served on the
AKP's executive board in the past.

Bahceli and K?l?cdaroglu are now expecting a response from Erdogan. Prime
Minister Binali Y?ld?r?m has already responded by claiming that Ogan
was speaking for himself and not the party.

"Are you joking? The state of the Turkish Republic was established on
Oct. 29, 1923," Y?ld?r?m told reporters, adding that this state remains
firmly standing. Other AKP representatives also tried to belittle Ogan's
remarks by saying he had only expressed his personal opinion.

Ogan later tried to backpedal by using the classic argument that his
words had been misconstrued. Be that as it may, he started a debate
that is bound to have displeased Erdogan and his close advisors, but
not because what Ogan said is necessarily false.

The last thing Erdogan needs is an outburst of anger from nationalist
quarters, and especially those attached to the MHP, which supported his
bid to become Turkey's unchecked executive President.

The anger with Ogan's remark reflected by K?l?cdaroglu and CHP supporters
is understandable. The "new state" Ogan refers to is clearly intended
to replace the Republic founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Bahceli's words and his expectation of a response from Erdogan, however,
are not understandable. It is after all Erdogan who himself says, day
and night, that they are in the process of building "a New Turkey."

The 'new Turkey' that they are building is visibly moving away from
the secular republic founded by Ataturk. Despite this, Bahceli has
consistently given the AKP the necessary outside support it needs to
advance its Islamist cause. This is why his "outrage" over Ogan's words
rings hollow.

Bahceli was clearly trying to mollify some ultra-nationalist voters who
are not totally charmed with his cosying up to Erdogan and the AKP -
especially at a time when work is underway to establish a new nationalist
party that will compete with the MHP in the 2019 general election.

Many argue that throwing in the MHP's lot with the AKP and helping prepare
the constitutional changes that turn Turkey into a presidential system
led by Erdogan is tantamount to political suicide for Bahceli. We will
not know if this is the case before 2019, but his political prospects
do not appear good from today's perspective.

Bahceli's dilemma is that he appears to have painted himself into a
corner. No matter how much it rejects Ogan's remarks, the AKP cannot
give up on its 'we are building the new Turkey' narrative at this stage.

But continuing with this narrative will undoubtedly pose many problems
for Bahceli's support base in the run-up to the 2019 general elections.

This support base could easily decide to go for the genuine article,
namely a new nationalist party led by the charismatic Meral Aksener,
rather than the MHP, which under Bahceli has turned into no more than
a prop for the AKP. It is not even a very effective prop, as the narrow
April 16 referendum result showed."